Teams of the Century

I'd like to ask supporters from each club to post their club's Team of the Century, and then tell us if they think there were any glaring omissions from the team.

NORWOOD
Coach: Jack Oatey
F: Neville Roberts, Bruce Schultz, Robert Oatey
HF: Garry McIntosh, Neil Button, Albert Sawley
C: Doug Olds, Alick Lill, Phil Gallagher
HB: Ron Kneebone, Walter Scott, Syd White
B: Michael Taylor, Syd Ackland, Alby Bahr
Ruck: John Marriott, Michael Aish, Jack Oatey
Int: John Wynne, Sam Gallagher, Keith Thomas, Bill Wedding

I've always thought the half forward line, although three great Norwood players, looks a little bare for true scoring potential. To me, the most glaring omission in our team was Roger Woodcock. He kicked more goals as a specialist half forward flanker than any other player in the history of the SANFL, and couldn't make our Team of the Century. Seems strange to me.

I'm also curious as to why there are 22 players. If you're going to name more players than there are in a team, why stop at one?
That aside, I wonder how you assess someone like Tony Francis. Obviously played a lot with Collingwood but I'd have thought he would have been one of the best players the club has ever produced.

Tony Francis played 47 games for Norwood, a good player but IMHO I didn't rate him as highly as yourself.

Fair enough AH, I thought he was sensational at Collingwood.
Maybe a better example is Carman. Surely one of the best players Norwood produced...but is the team of the century a measure simply of ability? Or does service to the club come into it as well? i.e does a player who played 350 games make the side, regardless of not being among the most talented 21 or so to have played for the club?

They set a benchmark of 100 games because, afterall, it is the NORWOOD Team of the Century. Performances at other clubs didn't enter into it.

If it was a team of the most talented, Carman would be in it without a doubt, but so far as service to Norwood, Carman or Francis wouldn't rate that highly.

Here is the overall SANFL team:

http://www.fullpointsfooty.net/south_australia.htm

Lindsay Head seems unlucky not to be in starting 18. Perhaps Bagshaw's ability as a goalkicking forward just pipped him.

Not so sure about Darley over Davies.
Jumbo - 7 B&Fs, a then season goal kicking record, won 76 for SFC by himself (ok overstretching just a little here).
Saw him tear Darley to bits more than a few times too.

Yeah and Lindsay Head v Baggy is a hard one too.
7 premierships v 3 Magareys. Not easy.

No Peter Carey either.

Adelaide Hawk wrote:They set a benchmark of 100 games because, afterall, it is the NORWOOD Team of the Century. Performances at other clubs didn't enter into it.

If it was a team of the most talented, Carman would be in it without a doubt, but so far as service to Norwood, Carman or Francis wouldn't rate that highly.

I think that's a good approach to it.

At some point, I'll reprint the list I named in the SANFL Media Guide a couple of years back of my choice as the Top 50 SANFL Players of All Time, for a debate point.

Overall, think that Norwood got theirs fairly well correct, but yes, the Woodcock omission remains a massive mystery to me also. A coach of the century would have been an interesting choice also.

Ackland at full back ahead of Kneebone (who was named at half back) was always an interesting choice for me also, acknowledging Ackland's massive contribution to the club.

Taking nothing away from Ron Kneebone, a fine player, I always wondered about his Magarey win. I'd be interested to know how he polled in other years, as I thought he was a fairly consistent player, yet he suddenly wins the MM.

At about the same era, Trevor Obst was a similar case.

Both deserving MM winners, but I'm nor sure they suddenly had such outstanding years. I'm quite willing to be corrected by others who saw more of them in those years, though.

Good point redandblack, I've often wondered about Gary Window winning a Magarey as well. For those that followed the SANFL in the mid 60's, was Window a worthy winner?

Perhaps Window being a class player in an ordinary side had something to do with it, although not being in the winning side would have made it more difficult.

I would have rated him pretty highly. The Woodville equivalent at about the same time was Bob Simunsen, from memory.

FOOTYfollower wrote:Good point redandblack, I've often wondered about Gary Window winning a Magarey as well. For those that followed the SANFL in the mid 60's, was Window a worthy winner?

On a side note about Gary Window, i had the plasure of meeting him a couple of months back at a 60th Birthday party and he would have to be one of the nicest blokes ive come across in a long time, was happy to talk footy and has a great knowledge of the game and i tell you for a bloke who around 70 yrs old he looks as fit as a mallee bull!!......

redandblack wrote:Taking nothing away from Ron Kneebone, a fine player, I always wondered about his Magarey win. I'd be interested to know how he polled in other years, as I thought he was a fairly consistent player, yet he suddenly wins the MM.

At about the same era, Trevor Obst was a similar case.

Both deserving MM winners, but I'm nor sure they suddenly had such outstanding years. I'm quite willing to be corrected by others who saw more of them in those years, though.

Ron actually did have an outstanding season. In 1965 he played Centre Half Forward, kicked 31 goals. A good season, but not outstanding. Ian Brewer kicked 96 goals up forward, Haydn Bunton was in rare form, and Bill Wedding dominated the ruck.

However, shifting to defence was a new lease of football life. Kneebone was the standout Redleg in 1966, winning the club Best & Fairest for the first time. Nobody kicked goals on him, not even the great Peter Hudson who stills rates Kneebone as one of the very best full backs he ever stood.

That was in the 1966 Hobart Carnival when Kneebone came on in the 1st quarter of the first game to replace Ron Elleway and had a great carnival. He was told the only reason he didn't make All Australian was because he didn't start each game.

Magarey Medals are like that. He would have played many games where he was in contention for votes, but missed out. In 1966, suddenly he was best player on the ground.

Can't speak for Trevor Obst as I didn't see a lot of him play, but he was chosen ahead of Brenton Adcock for his first state game in 1967, a testimony as to the kind of year he was having.

Chambo Off To Work We Go wrote:Not so sure about Darley over Davies.
Jumbo - 7 B&Fs, a then season goal kicking record, won 76 for SFC by himself (ok overstretching just a little here).
Saw him tear Darley to bits more than a few times too.

Yeah and Lindsay Head v Baggy is a hard one too.
7 premierships v 3 Magareys. Not easy.

Peter Darley had the nickname of Jumbo and Davies had the nickname Jumbo prince, if I remember correctly.
Davies began his league career in 1970, Darley began his in 1962 and retired in 1972. Darley played his last few seasons hampered by chronic knee injuries and played mainly from full-forward- to say he was past his prime is an understatement.He could barely run or jump.
To say that Davies tore him to bits "more than a few times" is in my humble opinion stretching the imagination quite a bit.

South Adelaide, Greatest ever team,

Forwards: Mark Naley Chris (Diddy)Munro Jack Dawes
Half Forwards: Max Murdy Don Pryor Alf(Bulla) Ryan
Centres: Laurie Cahill Jim Deane Mark Coombe
Half Backs: Bob Schmidt Dan Moriarty Jack Cockburn
Backs: Jack Reedman (captain) Bill Oliver George Mulcahy

1st Ruck: Peter Darley Jack Tredrea Frank Tully

Interchange: Lindsay Backman Ray Linke Len Lapthorne

I do like the half back line... - some very,very good players didnt make it..

blueandwhite wrote:Darley began his in 1962 and retired in 1972.

1974, he was leading goalkicker that year.

Yeah my recollections was that he was still going in that time.
It was 1973 or 1974, but there was a day when South scored I think it was, 1 goal 4, at Unley. I was 12 so I accept I am drawing on my memory from a long time ago. A miserable wet day admittedly, but Darley should have stayed home.

Anyway, it all doesn't really matter, perhaps it honours Darley if Davies was nicknamed after him. I thought KG coined the term the Jumbo Prince.

Can anyone confirm that?

Good memory. Last minor round game, 1973 at Unley.
Sturt 14-24 (108), South Adelaide 1-4 (10).
Stewie Palmer the sole goalscorer for South in the 1st quarter.
You're right about the weather. I was at Norwood Oval watching Norwood defeat Port by 5-6 goals in a real mudbath.

I don't think West have ever selected a Team of the Century.

Flag No 9 would know. If not, perhaps some of us might have a go.

Would be a tough job, especially for us non-West Adelaide people. Just looking at Westies "period of dominance", 4 flags in 5 seasons from 1908-1912. Players such as Tom Leahy in the ruck and Henry "Dick" Head in the centre would have to get a look in, as would Jos Dailey on the half back flank. Then you have key position players Bernie Leahy, Alec Conlin, and James McCarthy, as well as rover Bill Dowling. How do they measure up to their contemporaries?

Pretty close to what I picked except I'd have MacKenzie on Half Forward flank - Hawke omitted - Von Bertouch first rover.
Snowy Hamilton on half back flank , John Riley to the bench - Phillips omitted.
John Reedman back pocket , Don Gilbourne to the bench.
Percy Lewis emergency (okay....that is cheating )

Farmer as coach, but as he is already playing I would put Nunan in as coach. Mainly because he rebuilt the club. Patterson for mine had a self made team.

BTW Mc Kay is full back and Bob Hammond back pocket - this got mixed up.

I think it's incredible testiment to how highly North rate Darren Jarman when he spent 11 years playing AFL.

Terry Von Bertouch as 1st rover is a nice touch. I rate him as one of the very best rovers I've seen, especially at SANFL level.

I also agree about the job Nunan did with North Adelaide, rebuilding the club. I have often speculated about how many flags he may have taken Norwood to in the 80s had we given him the coaching role.

Did Nunan apply for Norwood job when Balme got it?